436 Mr. P. L. Sclater's List of the 



XLIV. — A List of the Tijrant-birds of Mexico, with descriptions 

 of some new species. By Philip Lutley Sclater, M.A. 



(Plate XIV.) 



The Tyrant-birds {Tyrannida;) of the New World have^ as is 

 now well known from the researches of Joh. Miiller *, Cabauis, 

 and other writers, no natural affinity with the Flycatchers 

 {Muscicapidte) of the Old World, although their habits are in 

 some respects similar, and they doubtless perform the same 

 functions in the economy of nature in their respective hemi- 

 spheres. While the Flycatchers are closely connected with the 

 Warblers [Sylviid/B), so closely indeed that it is exceedingly 

 difficult to decide to which of the two families to refer certain 

 genera, the Tyrant-birds are so intimately allied with the Fruit- 

 eaters {CotingidcB) , that Cabanis f, Van der Hoeven J and other 

 writers have proposed to embrace them in the same natural 

 family. W^ithout assenting to this, I admit that the two groups 

 of birds are very nearly allied, and must be placed next to each 

 other, and that there are certain forms (such as Tityra, Pachy- 

 rhamphus, Querula, &c.) which seem to share the characters of 

 both the families. 



The Tyrant-birds of the New World then, assuming their 

 distinctness from the Fruit-eaters, form a very extensive group, 

 embracing numerous genera and species, at present very im- 

 perfectly known, and exceedingly difficult to distinguish and 

 classify, owing to their uniform colouring and great general 

 resemblance. As, however, is the case in many other difficult 

 groups, much assistance may be derived by paying attention to 

 their geographical distribution, the species of Tyrannida, as of 

 other Neogcan families, being, with some few exceptions, rather 

 restricted in their range, and those of one zoological region 

 being generally distinct from those of another. 



Professor Baird, in his ' General Report upon N. American 

 Ornithology/ has given an elaborate analysis of the species of 



* Ueber den bisher unbekannten typische Verscliiedenheiten der Stimm- 

 organe der Passerinen. Abb. Akad. Berlin, 1845, p. 321. 



t Oruithologisehe Notizen, Wiegmann's Archiv, 18-17, p. 232. 

 X llaadbook of Zoology (English edition), ii. p. 4/5. 



